Jainism in Bihar

Author(s): P C Roy Choudhary
Publisher: P C Roy Choudhary Patna

Page 69

disappeared by now. The village of Bauridib near Ladurka
is on Purulia-Hura road at a distance of 11 miles. It has recently yielded to the efforts of Purulia Historical Society five Jain images three of which are of Rishavnath, Chandraprabhu and Parsvanath respectively as made out from the Chinhas. The two other images are of the 24th Tirihankar Mahavira. Peculiarly enough in this village an inscription on a piece of stone has been used in the masonry work within the ring of a well. This clearly shows that the stone slabs containing images and inscriptions were open to free vandalism in the hands of unscrupulous public. The influence of the Pala period is apparent on some of the relics.
It may further be noted that a peculiar feature that has been personally observed in all these villages is that there was apparently a confluence of several religious creeds in this area. Side by side of the Jain antiquities we have clear specimens of orthodox Hindu antiquity, Mabayana Buddhistic antiquities and traces of Vaishnavism. It almost appears that the area was very eclectic and went on accepting one religious creed after another. It may be mentioned here that at village Deorgbata near Boram about 18 miles from Purulia a series of images in well preserved condition bave been recently found. They are mostly Buddhist images and it is likely that further investigation and exploration may yield Jain images as well as a number of Jain antiquities have been found within a mile of this village. It is a very significant fact that even the most casual observer white going along Purulia-Hura road (21 miles) will be seciog Jain images lying scattered in almost every village on this road. The Jain images are usually lying neglected under some trees or on the verandabs of houses and many of them are being worshipped by the Hindus as some member of the Hindu pantheon. Some of the images have been removed by local inbabitants of Purulia and other towns in Bihar